Decision details

The Director, Education & Inclusion Services provided Members with details of Welsh Government and Council funding and the proposed investment of the funding as follows:

·         Invest £2.595m in improving the school buildings of 4 primary schools;

·         Invest £1.384 m to reduce infant class sizes by employing additional staff in 6 primary schools.

·          

Members were advised that in May 2017, the Council was invited by Welsh Government to submit a grant bid and business case to apply for monies to reduce infant class sizes across the County Borough. The Director added that there were two elements to this funding; revenue monies to employ additional staff and capital monies to construct classroom accommodation at schools with little, or             no spare capacity to allow for the opening of additional classes.

As outlined within the report, the Director advised Members that the Council had been successful with its bid and proceeded to outline the schools listed for investment, namely Gelli Primary School; Llanharan Primary School; Parclewis Primary School; Pontygwaith Primary School; Penywaun Primary School and YGG, Llyn y Forwyn.

The Officer also took the opportunity to advise of further investment through Community Infrastructure for Ffynnon Taf Primary School.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning welcomed the investment and the opportunities  being brought forward through the investment with the addition of staff, teaching space and permanent buildings.

The Cabinet Member for  Adult Community Services & Welsh Language

also welcomed the investment.

Following discussions it was RESOLVED:

1.    To note the information contained within the report in relation to the grant to reduce infant class sizes.

2.    To note the receipt of £1.6 million of capital funding from Welsh Government for this initiative.

3.    To note the additional receipt of £1.384 million of revenue funding from Welsh Government for this initiative.

4.    To include the 3 grant funded schemes outlined in paragraph 4.5 in the capital programme.

5.    To include the £995,000 investment in Ffynnon Taf Primary School in the capital programme.

6.    To approve the release of £395,000 of CIL monies to contribute to the £995,000 cost of the school improvements works in Ffynnon Taf Primary School. 

( N.B. County Borough Councillors R Bevan and G Hopkins made personal declarations of interest in respect of this item as referred in Minute 29, and stayed in the meeting when the item was discussed and voted upon.)